Leroy Is Retired. But Is He Really?

After a decade on The Challenge, Leroy Garrett announced he would retire from the show. After twelve seasons, he managed to leave with an impressively unimpressive record: most appearances in the final without a victory.

Fans of the show have grown to love Leroy. He’s generally easy-going and steers clear of drama. However, there have been moments where he’s lost his cool. Usually, fans empathize with him, as he approaches most situations with a rational mind. This makes his decision to retire from the game a heartbreaking choice for some fans.

He’s also not the only super veteran on the show. CT has been a part of The Challenge for many years longer than Leroy and he spoke up at the Double Agents reunion. He’s seen people who have claimed to retire only to return to the show in a year or two.

CT has a point. He’s lived through people like Mark who have formally announced a retirement only to leave retirement. He’s also seen people like Veronica who have taken years away from the show but returned after a hiatus. Could Leroy be one of these people?

More often than not, people come back to the show in some capacity. However, Leroy has a barber shop and seems to be building success in a different field. It’s not like he’s just done with the show. He’s also dedicating his time to another endeavor.

I highly doubt this is the last time we will ever see Leroy. He will likely pop up for commentary or to speak about the show in the future. His retirement is likely due to the time commitment of the show. He doesn’t seem to be bitter about his experiences at all. Of course, this isn’t really what people care about. They want Leroy to compete again.

If I had to guess, I think he will return at some point in the future. Maybe not on the main show, but he’d fit into a spinoff quite nicely. He’s certainly a Challenge “All Star,” and he’d also fit the loose definition of a Champ to qualify for a Champs-style spinoff. Production will want him back, especially if Kam isn’t retired from the show.

Leroy is also the type of person who has built such a strong reputation he could return after a few years. Other people will fall into irrelevancy after departing from the show. Not Leroy. His legacy is strong and he will always have a home on The Challenge. Right now, his barber shop seems to be the focus of his world. In the future, he could build it to a point where he doesn’t need to be there to run the operation.

It’s hard for people to quit cold-turkey after a decade on the show. I think it’s a matter of time before Leroy gets the itch to return. Regardless of where he ends up, he has been a great addition to the show. He’s the type of person you want to see win, and it’s upsetting he doesn’t hold the Champion title. Whether he comes onto a future season, a spinoff, or stays off screen, I am confident Leroy is headed for success.